THE ANVIL Awards program is conducted annually by PRSP to encourage improved public relations performance and techniques.
Last week, the Makati Shangri-La Rizal ballroom was packed with some 700 guests, mostly businessmen from the country’s top 50 corporations, to receive their Anvil trophies at the 51st Anvil Awards or the “Gabi ng Parangal” of the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP).
Why are the country’s most prominent firms fiercely attracted to submit entries to win an Anvil trophy?
The Anvil Award is not just any trophy. It is a tribute, an accolade bestowed by the PRSP for exceptional PR (public relations) programs.
Each Anvil entry is painstakingly screened and weighed by 30 distinguished jurors chosen for their competence and integrity.
In the lottery of life, you need a ticket to win. But to win an Anvil Award from the PRSP, you need to present a well-documented public relations program or tool that has solved some of the country’s most critical issues including public safety, economy, education, health, environmental protection, or the preservation of our cultural and historical heritage.
Programs that help people
Most winners of the Anvil Awards, whether they are in community relations or public service categories, are programs that help people in some way.
The Anvil Awards program is conducted annually by PRSP to encourage improved public relations performance and techniques. PR programs conducted by businesses and industries, PR firms and not-for-profit organizations are all eligible.
To qualify for an award, a program must incorporate sound public relations objectives and philosophy, must show excellence in strategy and execution and must document tangible results that impact on the target audience.
The winning programs are usually successful case studies in the areas of community relations, institutional programs, special events, public service, public affairs, marketing communications for new services, established services, new products or established products, crisis communications, internal communications and investor relations.
The first Grand Anvil was given to the Manila Times in 1963 for its program Operation Quick Count. The program greatly minimized anomalies during the 1961 presidential elections, which was won by then Vice President Diosdado Macapagal over incumbent President Carlos Garcia.
Hall of famers
San Miguel Corp. earned the Anvil Hall of Fame in 1998 for winning the Grand Anvil five times. In the 51st Anvil Awards, it was Metrobank Foundation’s turn to win the Hall of Fame prize.
Malampaya (Shell-Chevron-PNOC) won the Grand Anvil in 2003 for its “Give a Life Now: Sitio Agusuhin Development Program.” This project turned Sitio Agusuhin in Subic from a poor fishing town into a progressive community with improved education and modern healthcare facilities.
Last Friday, Union Bank won the Gold Anvil for its project, Lumina Pandit, which is conserving, restoring, and digitizing the rare books and documents housed in the UST Miguel de Benavides archives, some of which date back to the 16th century.
By getting involved in Lumina Pandit, Union Bank aims to create public awareness of the existence of some 30,000 volumes of books that are currently being curated in UST’s library and to preserve and share the university’s priceless collections to a wider world.
On the other hand, Warner TV (Turner Broadcasting System Asia-Pacific) won the highest Platinum Award for launching a new crime-thriller show with engaging interactive event that immersed guests into the worlds of these thrillers.
Over the years, some of the consistent winners of the Anvil Awards have been the Shell Companies, Ayala Corporation, SN Aboitiz Power, Smart Communications, Globe Telecoms, Meralco, PLDT, Petron, Unilab, SM Corporation, PNOC, Manila Water, Maynilad, Unilever and many others.
These are just a few of the Anvil awardees that have helped sustain our country’s growth. If we can create a society of Anvil awardees, it will be a cinch that by 2020 we can become the next Asian tiger.
Charlie A. Agatep is the former president of the Public Relations Society of the Philippines. He is also the chair and CEO of Grupo Agatep, an integrated marketing communications agency based in Pasig City.